Some local fish are about to get a big hand from the government. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a press release on Jan. 10 that unveiled the agency’s plan to restore the steelhead trout population from the Santa Maria River in Santa Barbara County south to the United States/Mexico border.
Steelhead trout are one of six Pacific salmon species that are native to the West Coast of North America and, according to the NOAA steelhead recovery plan summary, these fish are the only kind of its species that naturally reproduces in the coastal watersheds of Southern California.
More importantly, the summary notes that steelhead trout are helpful indicators of the health of local watersheds. NOAA officials report the Southern California steelhead population once numbered 45,000 but has declined to less than 500.
The recovery plan states that no single factor has been labeled as the cause for the decline of steelhead. However, the destruction of habitat and extensive watershed development have impeded the steelhead population’s ability to survive.
The plan also notes that “water withdrawals and diversions for agriculture, flood control, domestic water supply, and hyrdro-power purposes” have been factors in the fish’s decline.
Once a crucial part of Southern California watershed ecosystems and an important part of the state’s heritage, steelhead trout were listed as an endangered species in 1997 under the Endangered Species Act.
The act requires a recovery plan be developed for each endangered species, and is an inherent part of restoring a species population.
“This final plan is a roadmap to recovery for one of the most endangered fish species in the United States,” NOAA regional supervisor Penny Ruvelas said.
NOAA staff spent more than two years attending seminars and workshops all over California, and more than 10 years gathering information and research to develop a solid scientific foundation for the recovery plan.
The most important goal of the plan is to restore the population and protect its habitats. The plan also states agency staff would like to return steelhead to previously populated areas and increase the abundance of the species.
NOAA will be working with the Department of Fish and Game, modifying current passage barriers, reducing water pollution, and continuing their research of the species.
“It will likely take decades to restore these fish to the coastal rivers and streams where they once thrived,” Ruvelas said, “but this plan is a very significant step in achieving that goal.”
This article appears in Jan 26 – Feb 2, 2012.